This is a wine made of 100% nebbiolo from the Langhe. $20, with 13% alcohol.
Dark, clear ruby color. Perfumey nose with lots of floral character and some bright fruit. Similar in the mouth with high-toned fruit and some violet-geranium flavor backed by steely acidity and moderate tannins.
This is a really good starter nebbiolo. It's anything but an "international style" wine, providing bright, floral fruit with firm structure and relatively low alcohol. Although it doesn't combine the tar and violet stuff that some of the best ones manage, it does very well at the violet end of the spectrum. A real winner for the money.
Where the name came from, I have no idea.